Such a surprise winter, with snow piling up higher than ever in so many parts of the country. I couldn’t think of a better recipe for these conditions than an old favorite, Rich and Creamy Potato Miso Soup. I first shared this recipe a year or so ago and it has since won a “No Croutons Required” blogger award! As well as kudos from several households nationwide. Not to mention, it is still one of my cold weather favorites.

This soup is very quick and easy to prepare, yet the resultant meal is full of flavor and has a wonderfully smooth, chowder-like consistency. Plus, though it is at its heart a dairy-free delight, it can be customized to fit a soy-free, gluten-free, and/or vegan diet.

Reader Raves

Angela made this soup for her family: “First time i ever used miso, they loved it! We did not use the nut butter, as DS is allergic, it was voted to leave some potato chunks in next time.It had been a long time since we had potato soup with all of DS’s allergies”

Harmony also made it for herself and her wee one with just a couple substitutions: “I made this for lunch today, and both my 2-year-old daughter and I are enjoying it. I used tahini instead of cashew butter, and Korean dwenjang paste instead of light miso.If anyone else makes this with dark miso or dwenjang, you might want to add a tad bit of salt to make up for using less of the seasoning.”

¾ lb potatoes, diced into ½ inch cubes (I used red potatoes, skin and all, but Yukon Gold would be beautiful in this)

¼ teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cashew butter (optional, but a nice addition for flavor and texture)

1 tablespoon light miso**

1 teaspoon dried or fresh chives

Fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat the oil over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and sauté until fragrant, just 2 to 3 minutes.

Add in the broth, potatoes, and onion powder, and bring the soup to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low again, cover and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until those potatoes are nice and tender.

Place the soup and potatoes in your blender (may need to do this in two batches) along with the cashew butter and miso. You may want to let it cool for a few minutes, and make sure you secure the lid as you puree the soup until it is nice and smooth (lest some of that hot liquid go flying!).

Return the soup to the pot, add the chives and black pepper to taste, and heat it to your desired temperature.

Serve topped with wonton strips or your favorite crumbled crackers. I used some wonderful flour tortilla strips (not unlike wonton strips) that were leftover from a dinner out.

Notes

* If you are watching your sodium, feel free to used reduced-sodium broth, I tested with regular though.

**Miso is sold in the refrigerated section of many grocers and Asian markets. I buy a sizable tub for around $3.50 at Whole Foods, and it lasts quite a while. It keeps for around 6 months (I believe) once opened, so it easily fits on the convenient frugal foodie list, and adds a nice jolt of salty flavor. You can get several different types of misos, but a light soy miso or chickpea miso is what I would recommend for this one.